Computer gaming has evolved from simple monochromatic games played in DOS to the eye-popping graphics and realism of today’s modern games. Great improvements in computer gaming and the rapidly dropping prices of computer parts make it difficult to stay on top of the PC gaming scene.

Today’s computer games demand a lot of computer horsepower. You need a good processor, a modern video card, gigabytes of RAM and huge hard disk space to make your game playing experience the best and most immersive.

With dual core processors like Intel’s Core2Duo and AMD’s Athlon64 X2 processors and juicy 3D graphic cards from Nvidia’s 8800GT Ultra and ATi’s HD2900XT, plus blazing fast RAM chips having gigabytes in terms of capacity, you can only imagine how immersing PC games could be.

You do not need supercomputer-like peripherals like the mentioned ones here. As long as you meet the minimum system requirements of each game you can enjoy most games. Here are the top ten games you should not miss:

1. Crysis

“Crysis” is science fiction FPS game that takes place in the year 2020. You play the role of Nomad, a US Navy Seal. You may think that it is just another FPS game where you shoot enemies, but “Crysis” is much more. It boasts superb graphics and very good AI. You get your hands on the coolest hardware and get to wear a high-tech nano-suit that has four settings: strength, armor, speed and stealth. Strength gives you super-human strength, enabling you to jump above structures and kill enemies with your bare hands. Armor protects you from damage and regenerates your life. Speed makes you move around faster, and stealth makes you invisible to your enemies.

2. DiRT

“DiRT” is a car racing simulation with very high details on both the car and environment. “Dirt”, as the name implies, is a dirt-racing game where you get your hands on various vehicles – from buggies to dirt racing trucks. Even on the lowest visual settings, you will still see details that look like the real thing.

(Be a speed freak and outrun everyone in the Top Ten Racing Games Of All Time.)

3. Medal of Honor: Allied Assault

In this first-person shooter, you play the role of Pfc. Boyd Travers, a US Army Paratrooper. The game takes place during the early periods of World War II, and the Axis forces are the main enemy. If you love history and wars, you will surely enjoy the realistic battles as you hop from location to location, defeating the Axis forces.

4. Hitman: Blood Money

The latest title in the Hitman series follows Agent 47, a genetically enhanced clone and professional killer, as he eliminates the targets assigned to him. This game is classified as a stealth role-playing strategy game where you control Agent 47’s actions as he eliminates targets assigned by “The Agency”. The game-play is brutally fast-paced gives you an adrenaline rush from the excitement and suspense when you sneak past guards and blend into crowds.

5. Company of Heroes

“Company of Heroes” is great real-time strategy game that puts the player in control of the American forces in the Second World War. You do not have to trouble yourself with gathering resources in this game; instead, you have to capture points on the map to increase your quantities oil and ammunition. Even though it is an RTS game, “Company of Heroes” has great graphics even on medium settings. You can zoom in and out of the map and change your perspective because it is a full 3D game.

6. Call of Duty 4

“Call of Duty 4” is not your typical FPS game. The Call of Duty series is one of Activision’s most acclaimed games and this title lives up to expectations. “Call of Duty” is a war game that depicts US Marines and British SAS soldiers fighting in different countries and locations. With kickass firepower at your disposal, awesome graphics and game-play physics, this could be easily become one of your favorite games.

7. FIFA 07

The most popular sport in the world, football is now enjoyed by computer gamers as well. If you play football, or wish you could, then you should try EA Games’ latest FIFA release. If you have played previous version of this game then you will find the interface quite familiar. Even if the interface looks familiar, there are some great improvements that make it a great sports simulation game. It boasts a better artificial intelligence (AI) to give you a realistically tough match, as if you were playing with a real person. Though the graphics are not that stunning, you probably won’t be bothered by it as you are continuously attacked by your opponent.

8. Unreal Tournament III

“Unreal Tournament III” is actually the fourth title in the Unreal series, one of the most popular FPS (First-Person Shooter) games ever. You won’t be left out if you haven’t played the previous games, and if you have played them, you won’t feel alienated either. The game still has that old Unreal Tournament feel and the old-school weapons and game-play. It offers several game modes like the ever-popular deathmatch and team deathmatch.

9. World in Conflict

If you love real-time strategy games (RTs) or real-time tactical games (RTT), you will enjoy “World in Conflict” because it has the best of both worlds. It takes place in 1989, when the Soviet Union was on the verge of collapse. There is an alternate ending to this game, however, that has the Soviets win the Cold War and remain as a powerful nation. There are three factions in this game: USA, Soviet Union and NATO. The USA and NATO sides are allies against the Soviet Union. “World in Conflict” is different from traditional strategy games that have you gather resources and materials to purchase the units you control. Instead, you are given a pre-determined number of units to use, giving you instant action in a short time.

10. Need For Speed Pro Street

“Need for Speed: Pro Street” is the latest title in the Need for Speed series. If you love cars and you have the need for speed, this racing game will surely get your adrenaline pumping with lots of racing cars to choose from, terrific effects and graphics, and realistic collisions and damage. Though the storyline of the game may not be exciting as the previous Need for Speed titles, the stunning sound and graphics surely compensate for it. If you have played the previous Need for Speed games, you may find the new controls slightly different and quite odd sometimes, but after a few rounds of practice you will get the hang of it.

(True gamers never get enough of great games. So equal knowledge of the best Video Games of All Time, the Top Ten Best PC Games ever, and the Most Popular Online Games of 2007 is imperative. )